1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telephone conferencing, and in particular to dial up telephone conferencing utilizing computer control.
2. Description Relative to the Prior Art
In the art, it is known that telephone conferences may be implemented through "conferencing centers" provided as a service by local and long distance telephone companies. A list of telephone numbers of the conferees and the date and time at which the conference is to begin is supplied to a conference center operator who performs the dialing operations to bring the conferees simultaneously on line to initiate the conference. This technique is limited by the necessity of setting up a relatively inflexible forum in which all participants must be designated in advance, and the inclusion and reliance upon outside telephone company personnel to implement the conference.
A more recent form of conferencing utilizes digital networks such as the Internet that are publicly accessible by individual computers (typically PCs) via Internet Relay Chat (IRC) hosts. The conferees come on line and are interconnected by means of the host, and may utilize software which allows fully duplexed communication between the PCs. Typically, the conference is conducted with the exchanged information visually appearing on the individual PC display screens. In more sophisticated applications allowing audio communication between the conferees, additional hardware is required at each PC site. A microphone and analog to digital converter provide digitized audio input to a PC by means of appropriate software, such as commercially available VocalTec software, and the audio output is derived from the digital information transmitted over the Internet by use of a digital to analog converter feeding a speaker. Encryption software may be employed to "scramble" the digital information transmitted via the network, but all potential conferees must be provided with this software, and must be alerted to the fact that it is being used. Hence, a conference of multiple conferees requires additional hardware and software at each PC site in order to implement a conference by means of the Internet.